Fountain pen



May 22, 1951 KOLLSMAN 2,554,335

FOUNTAIN PEN Filed March 18, 1946 Fig-2 IN V EN TOR.

PA 01, KOZ/LSMAA/ Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN Paul Kollsman, New York, N. Y.

Application March 18, 1946, Serial No. 655,264

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to fountain pens using rolling ball writing points.

One object of the invention is to provide in a fountain pen using a rolling ball writing point, means for limiting the angular relation of the axis of the barrel of the pen relative to the writing surface over a portion of the surface of the pen so that the mean direction of force of the writing pressure on the ball point is at an angle to the axis of the pen to improve the seating of the ball in its socket and its rolling characteristics.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fountain pen with a rotatable ball point with physical means positively providing for a greater angular relation of the barrel of the pen and the writing surface at one side of the pen so as to place the mean direction of force of the writing pressure at an angle to the axis of the pen to facilitate seating and rotation of the ball.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pen having a rolling ball writing point with a multiplicity of ball points permitting the use of different inks and forcing the mean direction of force of the writing pressure on each ball to an angular relation in the axis of the barrel of the pen.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fountain pen using a rotatable ball point with a plurality of individual writing balls fed from individual reservoirs and with suitable color markings on the exterior of the barrel of the pen adjacent to the points properly identifying the colors of the inks in the individual reservoirs.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a fountain pen utilizing a rolling ball point in which there is provided a plurality of balls of difierent diameters fed from a common reservoir to provide for the use of light or heavy lines from the same pen as desired.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the specification and appended drawings illustrating certain preferred embodiments in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View through a double pen arrangement according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line IIII of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed view of one form of ball and socket arrangement.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a double ball point arrangement in which the line through the axes of the balls is skewed with relation to the longer transverse axis of the barrel of the pen.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a four ball point arrangement.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional View of a multiple point pen using ball points of different s1zes.

Figure 7 is an end view of the pen shown in Figure 4.

The pen as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a main body portion or barrel I having two reservoirs or chambers 2 and 3. These chambers are adapted for the reception of an ink of high viscosity and lubricating properties conventionally used in rotating ball point pens. The ink is retained within the chambers by packing 4 and 5 as of cotton and the chambers are closed at their upper ends by removable caps 6 and 1.

Into the lower end of the barrel 1 there is pressed a head 8 having a pair of chambers 9 and H therein communicating with similar chambers in the lower portion of the barrel l leading to the reservoirs 2 and 3. Communicating with the passages 9 and H are restricted passages l2 and [3 leading to the rotating ball points :4 and [5. The balls I 4 and I5 are maintained in the sockets in the head 8 by pressing or crimping of the socket walls after insertion of the balls.

While the ball and socket arrangement of the pen of Figures 1 and 2 may be uniform they are preferably formed as shown in the detail of Figure 3 with the retaining walls of the ball socket considerably lower at the point Is than at the point ll. This permits either a greater surface grip and hence more secure retention of the ball or with the cutaway portion at H a greater angular relation to the writing surface may be utilized at one side of the pen with the ball contacting the writing surface.

The arrangement of Figure 3 may, of course, be utilized in single point pins as well as multiple point pens and, in and of itself, places the mean direction of force of the writing pressure at an angle to the axis of the barrel of the pen since the angular relation of the pen axis to the writing surface is restricted in one direction by the extended apron of the ball socket. In the arrangement of the double ball point pen of Figures 2 and 3, whether the sockets are uniform on all sides or formed as in Figure 3, the mean line of force of the writing pressure is placed at an angle to the axis of the barrel by the fact that in one direction no more than a vertical position can be reached.

With the mean direction of force of the Writ ing pressure constrained to an angle with the axis of the pen, the force exerted by the ball on the socket is increased at one side so that the radii of the ball and its bearing surface at that side tend to equalize under wear with consequent greater ease of rolling of the ball within its socket. Or, in other words, the directing of the mean force to one side of the ball tends to wear the ball into its socket to form a better hearing. In conventional pens where the writing angle may be the same at all sides, the tendency is for the ball and socket bearing to deteriorate under wear with consequent impairment of the rolling qualities of the point which, since the ball must roll to effect the writing operation, results in deterior ation of the writing qualities of the pen;

The pen shown in Figure 4 is also a double point pen but the line 39 through the axes of the balls has been skewed with respect to the longer transverse axis 3| of the barrel of the pen to facilitate proper positioning of. the pen with relation to the holders hand and the writing surface, as shown more particularly in Figure 7. Figure 4 also shows the use of colored dots at l8 to identify the colors with which the individual ball'points will write.

Figure 5 shows a four point arrangement in which the four ,balls are again skewed with: respect to the rectangular axes of the barrel for adaptation to the hand of the user and in which there are also provided a multiplicity of color points l8 to identify the color of the writing ink supplied to the individual ball points. A cap such as shown at 19 in Figure 1 may be utilized with each of the various forms. of pens.

In the form of pen shown in Figure 6, the barrel 2| has a single reservoir chamber 22 with the cotton packing 23. The head 24 is pressed into the end of the barrel and has a large passage 25 therein from which two restricted passages26 and 2'1 lead respectively to the balls 28 and 29. It is noted that the balls 28 and 29 are fed from the same reservoir so that they will write with the same'color but the difference in size provides for a different width of writing line as desired by the user. It is, of course, understood that this arrangement of different size balls may be utilized with'individual chambers as Well.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fountain pen comprising, a barrel; two ball points mounted on said barrel; two reservoirs of writing fluid within the barrel including means for admitting fluid to said points from said reservoirs, said barrel being, of substantially oval cross-section, the ball points being so arranged that the radii passing from the center axis of the barrel through the points, in end view, inelude-an angle with respect to the axis of symmetry of the oval.

2. A' fountain pen comprising a barrel; a plurality .of ball points mounted on said barrel; reservoirs of writing fluid within the barrel including means for admitting fluid to said points from said reservoirs, said barrel being of noncircular symmetrical cross-section, the ball points being so arranged that the radii passing from the center axis of. the barrel through the points, in end View, include an angle with respect to the plane of symmetry of the barrel passing through the center axis of the barrel.

PAUL KO-LLSMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 229,102 Dellenbaugh June 22, 1880 351,582 Davis Oct. 26, 1886 555,763 Fessenden Mar. '3, 1896 821,993 Dunn May 29, 1906 1,130,944 Ullrich Mar. 9, 1915 1,277,064 r Gugel Aug. 27, 1918 1,300,379 Greenfield Apr. 15, 1919 1,514,519 Harris Nov. 4, 1924 1,938,835 Gryb Dec. 12, 1933 2,390,636 Biro Dec. 11, 1945 2,449,939 Heyberger Sept. 21, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 366,218 Germany 1923 800,851 France 1 1936 

